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NYT Pips answers — Tuesday, August 19, 2025

Pips #2 · Edited by Ian Livengood · Easy by Rodolfo Kurchan · Medium by Heidi Erwin · Hard by Heidi Erwin

Stuck on today's New York Times Pips? Below are three progressive hints for each difficulty, then the full solution as a tap-to-reveal board. Hints first — the answer only when you want it.

Jump to: Easy · Medium · Hard

Easy Pips answer — August 19, 2025

4×3 board · 4 dominoes · 7 regions · by Rodolfo Kurchan

The easy board runs 4 rows by 3 columns: 4 dominoes to place across 7 regions. The mix is 3 sum regions, 1 "all equal", 3 free regions. The single cell at row 1, column 2 is marked 6, so it can only hold a 6. After that, the single cell at row 2, column 3 is marked 5, so it can only hold a 5. Rack check: 1 blank half, 1 six.

Hints

Hint 1 — where to start

The single cell at row 1, column 2 is marked 6, so it can only hold a 6. Find the domino with a 6 that fits there.

Hint 2 — first domino

Place the 6–1 domino with its 6 at row 1, column 2 and its 1 at row 2, column 2.

Hint 3 — second domino

Next, the 5–3 goes at row 2, column 3 → row 3, column 3. From there the rest should fall into place.

Solution

Tap any cell to reveal its pips, or reveal the whole board. Region rules: 6 must add up to 6; 5 must add up to 5; = must all be the same number; 0 must add up to 0.

6
5
=
0
Solution as text
  1. 6–1 — 6 at row 1, column 2, 1 at row 2, column 2
  2. 2–4 — 2 at row 3, column 1, 4 at row 2, column 1
  3. 5–3 — 5 at row 2, column 3, 3 at row 3, column 3
  4. 2–0 — 2 at row 3, column 2, 0 at row 4, column 2

Medium Pips answer — August 19, 2025

4×5 board · 6 dominoes · 7 regions · by Heidi Erwin

The medium board runs 4 rows by 5 columns: 6 dominoes to place across 7 regions. You're working with 3 sum regions, 1 "all equal", 1 "greater than", 2 free regions. The way in: the single cell at row 4, column 3 is marked 2, so it can only hold a 2. After that, the single cell at row 4, column 5 is marked 6, so it can only hold a 6. Rack check: 1 double, 1 blank half, 1 six.

Hints

Hint 1 — where to start

The single cell at row 4, column 3 is marked 2, so it can only hold a 2. Find the domino with a 2 that fits there.

Hint 2 — first domino

Place the 2–1 domino with its 2 at row 4, column 3 and its 1 at row 3, column 3.

Hint 3 — second domino

Next, the 1–6 goes at row 4, column 4 → row 4, column 5. From there the rest should fall into place.

Solution

Tap any cell to reveal its pips, or reveal the whole board. Region rules: >3 must add up to more than 3; = must all be the same number; 3 must add up to 3; 2 must add up to 2; 6 must add up to 6.

>3
=
3
2
6
Solution as text
  1. 2–1 — 2 at row 4, column 3, 1 at row 3, column 3
  2. 1–6 — 1 at row 4, column 4, 6 at row 4, column 5
  3. 1–3 — 1 at row 1, column 1, 3 at row 2, column 1
  4. 3–4 — 3 at row 2, column 4, 4 at row 1, column 4
  5. 3–3 — 3 at row 2, column 2, 3 at row 2, column 3
  6. 1–0 — 1 at row 3, column 4, 0 at row 3, column 5

Hard Pips answer — August 19, 2025

5×6 board · 9 dominoes · 9 regions · by Heidi Erwin

Hard today is a 5×6 board with 9 dominoes and 9 regions. Rules on the board: 7 sum regions, 1 "all equal". Best foothold — the single cell at row 3, column 4 is marked 2, so it can only hold a 2. After that, the single cell at row 4, column 2 is marked 3, so it can only hold a 3. Rack check: 2 blank halves, 2 sixes.

Hints

Hint 1 — where to start

The single cell at row 3, column 4 is marked 2, so it can only hold a 2. Find the domino with a 2 that fits there.

Hint 2 — first domino

Place the 1–2 domino with its 1 at row 3, column 3 and its 2 at row 3, column 4.

Hint 3 — second domino

Next, the 3–1 goes at row 4, column 2 → row 4, column 3. From there the rest should fall into place.

Solution

Tap any cell to reveal its pips, or reveal the whole board. Region rules: ≠ must all be different; 0 must add up to 0; = must all be the same number; 2 must add up to 2; 7 must add up to 7.

≠
0
=
2
7
3
5
4
6
Solution as text
  1. 4–1 — 4 at row 5, column 3, 1 at row 5, column 4
  2. 5–6 — 5 at row 2, column 1, 6 at row 3, column 1
  3. 6–1 — 6 at row 5, column 6, 1 at row 5, column 5
  4. 3–1 — 3 at row 4, column 2, 1 at row 4, column 3
  5. 5–1 — 5 at row 4, column 5, 1 at row 4, column 4
  6. 1–0 — 1 at row 3, column 2, 0 at row 2, column 2
  7. 3–4 — 3 at row 3, column 6, 4 at row 4, column 6
  8. 1–2 — 1 at row 3, column 3, 2 at row 3, column 4
  9. 0–4 — 0 at row 1, column 2, 4 at row 1, column 1

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